Skanda-Vik Group
Felicity was the first planet to be colonised. With its remarkable similarity to Terra it required no terraforming which made it seem an attractive prospect. However the settlers soon discovered that this advantage was offset by a shortage of natural resources. This did not present immediate problems for the early traders as they were quite prepared to mix trading with raiding depending on where the biggest opportunity for profit lay. After several decades pursuing this policy some of the more farsighted merchants decided it might be more profitable to trade in home produced goods – possibly influenced by the system’s position in the Badlands and the presence of other equally aggressive systems which was making raiding less lucrative. Two planets in neighbouring systems were selected as suitable for colonisation. Sarkel is slightly smaller and with its orbit taking it closer to its sun the natural climate tends to be warmer. By contrast Tuonela orbits farther from its sun and is colder. The initial colonisation took place in the middle of the harsh winter ensuring that the planet lived up to its name. Terraforming was followed by the traditional rush to grab the best bits. The absence of any central authority resulted in many Households laying claim to the same area. Centuries later some of these disputes remain unresolved providing a ready-made excuse for violence when one side feels it may gain some advantage. To an outsider the planets of the Skanda-Vik Group appear to be inhabited by merchants who are only interested in personal profit. The absence of any strong central ruler has tempted some to believe that they could be added to their empire without much difficulty. It has been over two centuries since anyone tried – and failed. On each planet less than ten Household control over 50% of the population. Taking control of these should present little problem to the average expanding empire ostensibly giving them control of the planet. At this point it becomes apparent that the “control” exerted by the leading Households is rather less than it seems. The extensive network of family ties and trade agreements has never come between any individual merchant and his own interests. Outside of the immediate household the ties of loyalty formed by generations of marriage quickly become tortuous. Many houses at the outer reaches of these ties of kinship can trace links to several larger Houses – some of who may be mortal enemies. This means that the smaller Households can choose any of a number of larger Households when they decide to whom they owe loyalty. The traders may accept the existence of taxes on other planets as unavoidable but none of them is prepared to accept the idea that they should be taxed in their own homes. Any major house taken over by Offworlders finds itself reduced to a minor house very quickly. Coupled with this is the traditionally blurred line between raiding and trading. The peaceful merchants can be transformed into warriors in the blink of an eye. Each Household is fiercely independent and resents any attempt by outsiders to control it. Any invader is faced with the task of conquering the planet house by house while his lines of communication back home are under constant threat from a merchant fleet which has suddenly turned out to be a war fleet. Although the Group is best known for the size of its trading fleets the planets have an extensive manufacturing base. Aside from the production of many of the consumer goods needed to make any society viable they make a wide range of high tech hardware and weaponry. Not surprisingly in a society dominated by trade the law is based on the concept that everything has a price. There are very few prisons on the planets and these are populated by Offworlders being held pending the payment of their vergield. Law courts vary in size from the smallest where a lawspeaker might serve a handful of households and combine his legal duties with another career to the annual gathering on each planet which traditionally lasts for twenty-one days. This was originally used to settle any major cases which could not be resolved at the lower courts. Over the years it has become more of an excuse for a planet wide party as most disputes are settled before they reach it. There has been some criticism that the law favours the rich and powerful families as they can easily pay even the vergield for unlawful killing. Although there is some truth in this those who support the current system point out that this is merely an acknowledgement of what happens in other apparently “fairer” legal systems. Serious and repeat offences are punished by declaring the offender outside the law and sometimes requiring them to leave the planet. At first glance this does not appear to be a harsh punishment for a trader who rarely visits his home planet but once someone is no longer protected by the law they and all their property are fair game for anyone who chooses to take an interest in them. Thus a wealthy outlaw is going to attract more attention from the many citizens who are ready to profit at his expense than a poor one. In fact some houses make a good living from tracking down outlaws and lightening their load.